UPPER CABINET

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a piece of furniture comprising a furniture body, a piece of furniture and a device for moving a piece of furniture relative to the furniture body according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] The invention relates to wall cabinets which have an inner body that can be moved out of an outer body by means of an electric drive device, wherein the inner cabinet is usually moved vertically downwards to allow easy access to all compartments contained therein.

[0003] Now it is necessary to ensure that, in the event of a collision between the movable part of the furniture and an obstacle, the movement of the movable part of the furniture is prevented, or at least another effective measure is taken to prevent damage to the obstacle or the furniture.

[0004] In German patent application DE 3 215 572 A1, it is proposed that a spring-loaded plate with a limit switch be attached to the underside of the inner cabinet of such a wall cabinet. If the inner cabinet encounters an obstacle, the plate yields slightly and activates the limit switch, whereupon the drive is switched off.

[0005] A disadvantage of this solution is that the limit switch and the spring-loaded plate must be located on or inside the movable part of the furniture. Besides the visual impairment and the added weight of the movable part, this also means that cables for transmitting the limit switch signals must be routed inside the movable part.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a piece of furniture which enables a simplified transmission of signals from the sensor device to the drive device.

[0007] This problem is solved by a piece of furniture with the features of claim 1.

[0008] This is achieved by mounting the drive device movably on the carrier by means of a spring device and by providing a sensor device which emits an electrical signal depending on the relative position of the drive device to the carrier.

[0009] Because the drive unit itself is spring-mounted, collisions and similar events can be detected by changes in the relative position between the support and the drive unit. This eliminates the need to position the sensor device within the movable part of the furniture itself, thus also avoiding the need to route cables inside the cabinet.

[0010] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0011] According to the invention, a control or regulating device is provided for controlling or regulating the drive device, to which the electrical signal can be supplied. In this way, it is particularly easy to enable the drive device to react to collisions or similar events.

[0012] It is particularly preferred that the control device is designed to stop the drive unit depending on the electrical signal. This prevents damage to the movable furniture part or to the obstacle causing the collision.

[0013] Furthermore, the control device may be designed to initiate a revision movement of the drive unit – that is, a brief movement in the opposite direction to the original direction of travel – depending on the electrical signal. This allows for the easy resolution of any potential jamming of an obstacle that could cause a collision. After the revision movement, the obstacle can be easily removed, and normal operation can resume.

[0014] According to the invention, the control device is further designed to determine the actual position of the fastening device relative to the support and to use this information to regulate or control the drive device. This design is particularly advantageous when information is also available regarding the relative position between the drive device and the fastening device or the movable furniture component. Knowing the relative position between the fastening device and the drive device, as well as between the drive device and the support, allows the relative position between the fastening device and the support to be determined. As a result, the relative position between the movable furniture component and the furniture body can be regulated or controlled in the assembled state.

[0015] According to the invention, the control device is also designed to control the drive mechanism in such a way that the first end position and / or the second end position relative to the support remains constant. The first and second end positions can be fully retracted or fully extended positions of the furniture component, respectively. If, for example, the first or second end position is effectively changed by placing objects to be stored in the inner body (due to the load on the spring mechanism), this can be corrected by the drive mechanism. In this way, a zero-position compensation can be achieved, meaning that the spring-loaded mounting of the drive mechanism is not noticeable to the operator.

[0016] Similarly, an exceedance of the maximum load on the furniture component can be detected. This means the device can be designed so that if the spring mechanism deflects in a manner corresponding to an overload, the drive mechanism does not move.

[0017] The spring assembly can, in particular, comprise two coil springs. Coil springs can be advantageous because they achieve a relatively high spring stiffness in a structurally simple manner. The use of more than one, and especially two, coil springs can also provide increased stiffness against influences that do not precisely oppose the direction of movement of the drive. This occurs, for example, when an obstacle is not positioned completely centrally with respect to the axis of movement. To support this effect, a guide device can be provided to guide the mounting device on the support. This offers the further advantage that even an uneven load on an overhead cabinet will not cause it to lower unevenly.

[0018] The electric drive device can be implemented particularly easily using an electric motor and a corresponding spindle drive. Furthermore, the relative position of the mounting device to the drive device can be determined relatively easily with this design, for example, using a rotary encoder or similar device.

[0019] Of course, the use of an additional sensor to detect the relative position of the mounting device to the drive device is also readily conceivable.

[0020] The sensor device preferably includes a potentiometer, which makes it possible to detect the relative position of the drive device to the carrier in a particularly simple way.

[0021] It is particularly preferred that the sensor device comprises a rack attached to the drive device or the support, and a rotator rotatably mounted on the support or the drive device, wherein there is a toothed connection between the rack and the rotator, and the potentiometer is arranged to detect the position of the rotator. The rotator can be designed as a gear. However, any other design that transforms a linear motion into a rotary motion can also be suitable.

[0022] In a piece of furniture according to the invention, the support is attached to the furniture body and the fastening device to the furniture part. As already mentioned, the furniture can be designed in particular as a wall cabinet, wherein the furniture part designed as the inner body is essentially vertically movable.

[0023] Further advantages and details of the invention are evident from the figures and the accompanying figure description. These show: Fig. 1 a device, Figs. 2 and 3 detailed views of a device, Figs. 4a and 4b perspective views of an embodiment, wherein the drive device is hidden, Figs. 5 and 6 detailed view of a device, wherein two different relative positions between the support and the drive device are shown, Figs. 7 and 8 exploded views of a device in a total view and a detailed view, Figs. 9 and 10 representations of a piece of furniture according to the invention, wherein the movable part of the furniture is shown in two different positions, Fig. 11 a piece of furniture according to the invention with an obstacle, and Fig. 12 a schematic block diagram to illustrate the operation of the control device.

[0024] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a device. The support 2 is not a single piece in this case. It consists of two main parts, the lower of which in the figure is a guide 16 (see figure). Figures 4a, 4b and 8) for the fastening device 3. The fastening device 3 is designed for mounting on a movable part of furniture, in particular an inner body of a wall cabinet.

[0025] Also visible are the drive device 4 and the spring device 7, both of which are located in the Figure 2 and 3 is shown in greater detail.

[0026] As can be seen in these figures, the spring device 7 essentially consists of two coil springs 11. The drive device 4 has an electric motor 12 (see Figure 7 and 8 ) and a spindle drive. The spindle is arranged in a tube 13 and is not shown. It is not a new design and can be implemented according to the knowledge of experts.

[0027] Especially in Figure 3 The sensor device 8 is still recognizable, which is located in the Figures 4a, 4b , 5 as well as shown in more detail in section 6.

[0028] Furthermore, an additional guide 18 can be seen, which prevents the drive device 4 from tilting relative to the carrier 2.

[0029] In Figure 4a A perspective view is shown, with the drive device 4 hidden to better show the sensor device 8. Only the tube 17, in which the threaded spindle is located, is shown as part of the drive device 4.

[0030] The sensor device 8 comprises the potentiometer 13 and the rack 14.

[0031] The rack 14 is toothed in connection with a rotator 15 designed as a gear, which is in Figure 4b can be seen, whereby in Figure 4b Potentiometer 13 is additionally hidden.

[0032] Furthermore, in both Figures 4a and 4b Parts of the guide 16 can be identified. These guides must also be designed according to the knowledge of experts and may, for example, have interlocking rails with or without rollers or the like.

[0033] In the Figure 5 and 6 Figure 1 shows a detailed view of the device 1, which shows the sensor device 8 in more detail, and this is the case for two different relative positions between the drive device 4 and the carrier 2.

[0034] For example, if in an operating state the relative position between drive device 4 and carrier 2 is as in Figure 5 If a collision occurs during the movement of the furniture part 6, this leads to a change in the relative position of the drive device to the support 2, whereby the coil springs 11 stretch (see Figure 6This change in position is detected by the sensor device 8. (Note the different lengths of the visible parts of the rack 14.)

[0035] Figure 7 and 8 shown are exploded views of a device, where the reference numerals naturally correspond to the previously described objects with the same reference numerals.

[0036] In the Figure 9 and 10 A piece of furniture 10 according to the invention is shown with a device 1, wherein there are two relative positions of the body 5 to the furniture part 6. This is also shown in Figure 11 The case is shown with an additional obstacle in the form of another piece of furniture below the furniture 10, with a glass on it. During the downward movement, the inner body 6 strikes the glass, causing the drive mechanism to move upwards in response to the counter-pressure of the glass against the force of the coil springs 11 (see Figure 6). This is detected by the sensor device 8 and reported to a control or regulating device 9.

[0037] However, the invention is not only applicable in the case of an external obstacle, as in Figure 11 The invention is effective. Likewise, obstacles located above the inner body 6 or between the inner body 6 and other furniture parts – for example, body parts trapped between compartments of the inner body and closed furniture doors – are reliably detected by the invention. More generally, this applies to all obstacles that hinder or impede the movement of the furniture part 6 induced by the drive device 4.

[0038] The regulation or control of the drive device 4 is shown in the schematic block diagram. Figure 12 clarifies.

[0039] The drive device 4, which is spring-mounted on the carrier 2, is controlled by a motor control unit M. The relative position x between the drive device 4 and the carrier 2 is measured by the sensor device 8.

[0040] The motor control or regulation M is connected to an operating unit B, whereby an operator can issue commands for the movements of the movable furniture part at the operating unit. The manner in which this is done is not relevant to the invention. Any type of button, switch, or triggering by opening cabinet doors is conceivable.

[0041] Due to the accelerations that occur at the beginning and end of a movement of the movable furniture part, even during normal operation without collisions or similar events, switching off the drive device 4 with every change in the relative position x is not practical. Therefore, the control device 9 has a deactivator D, a decision point E, and a switch S.

[0042] Based on the control command issued by the motor control unit M, which is also sent to the decision-maker E, the decision-maker E decides whether the deactivation of the drive device 4 should be active in the event of a change in position. In principle, this applies when the movable furniture part 6 is moving at a constant speed or is stationary. In these cases, the decision-maker E closes the switch S, enabling the deactivator D to send signals to the motor control unit M. If the movable furniture part 6 is moving at a constant speed, the deactivator D can send a deactivation signal to the motor control unit M. It is also possible, of course, to initiate a revision movement using the deactivator D.

[0043] Even when the drive unit 4 is stationary, it is useful to transmit a change in position via the deactivator D to the motor control unit M. The motor control unit M can use this to compensate for a zero position or an end position, which may be necessary, for example, when loading an overhead cabinet.

[0044] The in Figure 12 The elements of the control or regulating device 9 (D, S, E, M, B) shown are essentially logical in nature and can of course be implemented on a single circuit board or the like.

[0045] The present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown here. It is not necessary to use two coil springs, as spring devices known to those skilled in the art can also represent similarly advantageous embodiments. The same applies to the use of a potentiometer for detecting a rotational position, as it is of course also conceivable to use a linear potentiometer or a completely different type of sensor device.

Claims

1. An item of furniture (10) comprising a furniture carcass (5), a furniture part (6) and a device (1) for moving the furniture part (6) relative to the furniture carcass (5), the item of furniture (10) being in the form of an upper cabinet, and wherein the furniture part (6) in the form of an inner carcass is movable substantially vertically, the device (1) comprising: - a carrier (2) configured to be fixed to the furniture carcass (5), - a fastening device (3) configured to be fixed to the furniture part (6), - an electric drive device (4) configured to move the fastening device (3) relative to the carrier (2) between a first end position and a second end position, the drive device (4) being movably supported on the carrier (2) by means of a spring device (7), - a sensor device (8) configured to deliver an electric signal in dependence on the relative position of the drive device (4) with respect to the carrier (2), - an open-loop or closed-loop control device (9) for open-loop or closed-loop control of the drive device (4), to which the electric signal can be fed, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device (9) is configured to determine an actual position of the fastening device (3) relative to the carrier (2) and to use same for closed-loop or open-loop control of the drive device (4), - wherein the carrier (2) is fixed to the furniture carcass (5) and the fastening device (3) is fixed to the furniture part (6), the open-loop or closed-loop control device (9) being configured to provide for open-loop or closed-loop control of the drive device (4) such that the first end position and / or the second end position of the fastening device (3) relative to the carrier (2) is constant.

2. The item of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the open-loop or closed-loop control device (9) is configured to stop the drive device (4) in dependence on the electric signal.

3. The item of furniture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the open-loop or closed-loop control device (9) is configured to cause the drive device (4) to perform a return movement in dependence on the electric signal.

4. The item of furniture according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the spring device (7) includes two helical springs (11).

5. The item of furniture according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drive device (4) includes an electric motor (12) and a spindle drive.

6. The item of furniture (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the sensor device (8) includes a potentiometer (13).

7. The item of furniture (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the sensor device (8) includes a toothed rack (14) fixed to the drive device (4) or to the carrier (2), and a rotator (15) rotatably supported on the carrier (2) or on the drive device (4), wherein there is a tooth connection between the toothed rack (14) and the rotator (15) and the potentiometer (13) is arranged so as to detect the position of the rotator (15).

8. The item of furniture according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a guide device (16) is provided for guiding the fastening device (3) on the carrier (2).